Pizza Vita Opening Brick-and-Mortar Location in The Heights

One of Hudson County’s more popular food trucks has officially found a new place to park, and a newly-renovated storefront along Palisade Avenue will be serving Neapolitan-style pizzas to hungry customers very soon.

Pizza Vita already has a storefront in Summit, but most Jersey City locals are probably more familiar with the cuisine’s traveling version. Their orange food truck has been spotted around Hudson County for years and is a mainstay at Hoboken’s Pier 13. The endeavor was started by Ernesto Santorelli and Chef Adele DiBiase, an award-winning restaurateur who has made the rounds on TV programs like NBC’s Today Show and Food Network’s Chopped.

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Chef Adele started her career as a pastry chef, but later expanded her culinary prowess during a trip to Naples, Italy. Pizza Vita is inspired by that region’s traditional pizzerias and their 4,000-pound truck sports a 100% wood-fired oven that stays at a steady 900-degree temperature, which allows them to cook their pizzas in just 90 seconds.

The Pizza Vita truck. Photo via Pizza Vita Facebook.

Pizza Vita opened up a spot in the ongoing Harborside Terminal transformation last year, and their next brick-and-mortar outpost is coming soon to 435 Palisade Avenue. As a permanent restaurant, the garage-looking space will feature a full-fledged version of the menu like the one found in Summit, and pizza toppings run the gamut from vegetables to meat options.

In addition to several types of red, white, or vodka sauce-based pizzas, the restaurant also features antipasti dishes like buffalo cauliflower, eggplant saltimbocca, baked meatballs, or calamari. Pasta options include whole wheat, gluten-free, or artichoke pasta varieties, plus a few salads to complement. Their lunch menu includes a few signature sandwiches and an item they dub a seasonal plate, which features a protein plus various seasonal vegetable sides to choose from.

Homemade gelato rounds out the menu at Pizza Vita, and residents of The Heights should be able to get a full taste of the restaurant soon. The company’s VP of Operations tells Jersey Digs that their latest spot is “very close” to opening.